Clutch mechanism.



Patented Feb. 25, |902.

C. M. DAY.

CLUTCH MECHAMSM. (Appm c mad o n 1901) (No Model.)

f UNITED STATES" PATENT `A OFFICE.-

CHARLES M. DAY, OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAPER COMPANY,OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

CLUTCH MECHANISM.

SPEGIFlCATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 693,954, dated February25, 1902.

Application tiled October 7, 1901. Serial No. 77,833. (No model.)

T @ZZ whom t may concern/f Be it known that I, CHARLES M. DAY, a citizenof the United States, residing at Hopedale, in the county of Worcesterand State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in ClutchMechanism, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on thedrawings representing like 1o parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a simple, powerful,and direct-acting clutch mechanism whereby the driving and drivenmembers may be readily and effectively clutched and unclutched, thevarious novel features of the invention being hereinafter described, andparticularly pointed out in the following claims.

Figure l is a front elevation, partly broken 2o out, of a clutchmechanism embodying one form of the invention; and Fig. 2 is a sectionthereof on the irregular line 2 2, Fig. l,look ing toward the right.

The clutch mechanism is herein shown in connection with a shaft S, to berotated when the clutch is operative, a gear a being shown in Fig..2 ashaving an elongated hub ax keyed to the shaft to rotate therewith. Thedriven member of the clutch is herein shown as a 3o disk B, having itshub bx secured to the shaft,

as by a screw 3, Fig. 2. The inner end of the hub, which latter isshouldered at b', is shown butted against the end of the hub ax, saidhubs having the same external diameter.

The driving member is herein shown as a disk D, having a long hub CZX,which surrounds and is rotatably mounted on the hubs ctx bx,longitudinal movement of said member D being prevented by the shoulders5 and 3 of said 4o hubs, as shown in Fig. 2, the driving member havingan annular flange D', which surrounds the periphery of the disk ordriven member B, leaving a slight clearance. 'The clutch members thusform asubstantially closed circular box, which incloses the means forclutching and releasing said members, the flange D serving as apulley-face to receive a belt (not shown) operated from any suitablesource of power to effect rotation of the driving member.

The clutching means comprises two pivotally-supported segments c c,disposed on oppositel sides of the shaft S and each being strengthenedby a transverse web lO', cast therewith, andrpreferably the convex faceof each segment is provided with a friction pad or shoe CX, of leatheror other suitable material, said shoes being adapted, when desired,

to engage symmetrically opposite portions of the inner face of theflange DQ the majorportion of such face being engaged when the 6odriving and driven members are clutched together. Two parallel studs b2are secured to the driven member near its periphery and project towardthe driving member, (see Fig. 2,) and upon said studs are mounted hubsc2 65 on the adjacent ends of the segments, as clearly shown in thedrawings, so that said segments are fnlcrumed on the studs and aremovable toward and from each other. Near their otherand opposite freeends the segment- 7o webs c 'are shown in Fig. l aseach provided withtwo notched ears or lugs c3 c4 on the web` face nearest the disk B, thespace c5 between each pair of ears constituting a seat to receiveloosely a nut-like bearing f, and into these bearings are screwed theoppositely-threaded ends ot' a rotatable shaft or actuatorfx. Saidactuator is extended through and rotatably supported by bearing-lugs b3on the inner face of the member B at each side of a hole b4there- 8o in,the hub h of a pinion hX, fast on the actuator,bein g inserted betweenthe lugs, as clearly shown in Fig. 1. The actuator subtends the chord ofan are of the flange D on the side of the shaft S opposite thefulcrum-studs b2, and manifestly rotation of said actuator in one or theother direction will operate to separate or draw together thefriction-segments, the loose seating of the bearing-nuts permitting themto move sufficiently relatively to the segments` 9o to permit suchmovement without cramping the actuator, the ends of which are shown inFig. 1 as loosely entering the notched ears c3 c4 on each segment-web.This construction is very strong and cheap to manufacture, as thesegments can be readily cast with their Webs and the notched earsthereon and the bearings f slipped into their seats when the parts areassembled.

The segments and actuator are inclosed'ro;

was

within the clutch members, and thereby protected from dust and dirt, andthey cannot catch upon any object exterior to the clutch.

An annularly-grooved collar g is loosely mounted on the shaft outsideand adjacent the member B, having a rack g extended therefrom throughthe hole b* and meshing with the pinion hX, so that sliding movement ofthe collar on the shaft, as byayoke of usual construction and not shown,will operate to rotate the actuator f to separate or draw together thefriction-segments. In the former case they are pressed firmly intofrictional engagement with the iiange D, so that the rotation ofthedriving member D is transmitted to the driven member B to the shaft torotate the latter. When the actuator is oppositely rotated, the segmentswill be swung toward each other about their fulcra b2 and the drivingand driven members will be instantly unclutched.

Owing to the threading of the actuator, it will have no tendency to turnin either direction in its bearingsfand practically serves toautomatically lock the segments in any desired position until changed bya positive sliding movement of the collar ,1.

Various changes or modifications may be made in the construction andarrangement herein shown and described without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention. Having fully described my invention, what Iclaim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-- 1. Inapparatus of the class described, a driving member having an annulariiange, a disk-like member to be driven, peripherally inclosed by theflange, opposed friction-segments fulcrumed on the disk-like member, toengage symmetrically opposite portions of the inner face of said flange,a rotatable actuator mounted at its center directly on the therebyclutch or unclutch said driving and driven members.

2. In apparatus of the class described, a rotatable shaft, a drivingmember loose thereon having an annular flange, a disk-like member to bedriven, fast on the shaft, opposed friction-segments pivotally mountedthereon and inclosed by the annular dan ge, a rotatable actuator mounteddirectly on the disk substantially diametrically opposite the pivotedends of the segments,and having oppositely-threaded ends operativelyconnected with the free ends of the segments, to separate or draw thesame toward each other, rocking or tipping connections between theactuator and segments, and means mounted on the shaft to engage andeffect the rotative movement of the controller.

3. In apparatus of the class described, a rotatable shaft, a drivingmember loose thereon having an annular ange, a member to be driven, faston the shaft, oppositely-movable friction-segments fulcrumed on thedriven member and adapted to cooperate with the fiange of the drivingmember, a rotatable actuator having oppositely threaded ends mounteddirectly on the driven member between the free ends of the segments,threaded bearings for said actuator, loosely seated on the segments,rotation of the actuator separating or drawing the said segmentstogether, means to prevent movement of the bearings on the segments inthe direction of the length of the actuator and to permit said bearingsto tip or rock, and a controller mounted loosely on and movablelongitudinally upon the shaft to rotate said actuator, the coperation ofthe actuator with its threaded bearings acting to lock the segments inposition until the actuator is positively rotated by or through thecontroller.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in thepresence of two subscribing Witnesses.

CHARLES M. DAY.

Witnesses:

GEORGE Oris DRAPER, ERNEST W. WOOD.

